I purchased the Orskey S900 dash cam, which has a front and wired rear camera. The one thing I wasn’t looking forward to was installing it so that all the wires were hidden. It turned out to be a much easier job than I was expecting.
Dash Cam Installation Steps
Step 1 – Position Front Dash Cam
Determine where the front camera is best located on the windscreen. I located mine behind the rearview mirror. In this location, it has a good view of the road ahead and doesn’t block the driver’s view.
The Orskey dash cam I have has a stand with a sucker that easily attaches the camera to the windscreen.
Step 2 – Position The Rear Camera
The rear camera should ideally be located centrally at the rear of the car. The best location is going to vary considerably depending on the design of the car.
For my car, the best location was externally just above the number plate, where the rear section of the car overhangs. The overhang makes an ideal location for the camera to be attached to the car.
I did initially try installing the camera internally looking out of the rear window. However, the image was not good and also if it rains I would need to have the rear wiper constantly on.
If installing the camera externally, consider how the cable will get inside the car. I had to drill a small hole through the car bodywork to thread the cable inside.
Step 3 – Routing Rear Camera Cable to Front Dash Cam
Routing the cable is going to vary from car to car. Below are some general tips that I learned when routing the cable:
- Place the cable roughly along the route to check the cable is long enough
- The carpet in the car boot can be lifted and the cable routed underneath
- Plastic trim in a car can be lifted enough to thread the cable
- A flat-head screwdriver can be used to lift trim
- The cable can be run underneath car floor mats
- Where required, small drops of super glue can be used to hold the cable in place
Step 4 – Routing the Power Cable To The Dash Cam
Routing the dash cam power cable is very similar to routing the rear dash cam cable, so the same tips I’ve written above also apply to the power cable.
The cigarette lighter in my car was already in use to power my Alexa Auto. This meant that I had to buy a splitter, so could power the Alexa Auto and dash cam at the same time.
Conclusion: How To Fit A Dashcam
Because car makes and models are very different to each other it’s hard to write a detailed article explaining how to install a dash cam. Hopefully what I’ve written gives a few pointers on how to fit a dash.
I though that installing a dash cam and hiding all the wires was going to be a difficult and time-consuming job. However, it turned out to be a lot easier and quicker than I was expecting.
FAQ – Installing A Dash Cam
How long does it take to fit a dash cam?
It took me about half an hour to install my dash cam and hide all the wires. Which is a lot less time than I was expecting.
Do you need tools to fit a dash cam?
The only tools I used were a flathead screwdriver to lift sections of the car trim and a drill to make a hole through the car bodywork to thread the rear camera cable. I also used some super glue to keep the wires in place
How do I power the dash cam?
Most dash cams are powered via the car’s 12V socket (cigarette lighter) or can be hardwired into the vehicle’s battery.
